BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Edgar Lehr, Robert W. Harrington Endowed Professor of Biology, was awarded the highest teaching honor at Illinois Wesleyan University on April 16 as the 2026 recipient of the Kemp Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence.
The recipient is selected by a committee of faculty and is based on nominations from colleagues. Supported by the Kemp Foundation, the award recognizes teaching spirit, passion, scholarship and service.
Following University tradition for the ceremony, Interim Provost and Dean of Faculty David
Marvin gave clues of Lehr’s skills and academic contributions before announcing his name. Marvin hinted at Lehr’s fluency in three languages and his aptitude for harrowing helicopter rides for the sake of research — and even disclosed Lehr’s talent as a musician and baker.
“I am overjoyed and honored to have been selected as the 2026 Kemp Awardee, knowing that IWU has many outstanding faculty members," said Lehr after the event.
In his 28 years of research, Lehr has conducted more than 30 expeditions searching for, discovering and naming over 100 species of reptiles and amphibians in the forests of Peru — equaling nearly 9% of the Peruvian herpetofauna. Each of his freshly discovered frogs, salamanders and snakes are recorded in 134 peer-reviewed journal publications. Lehr has named a lizard after the IWU Titans and a snake now bears the name of Harrison Ford.
Lehr earned a master’s degree in biology from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz in Germany, and a doctorate in zoology from Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Frankfurt am Main in Germany.
The 2025 Kemp Award recipient, Professor of Mathematics Zahia Drici, was recognized by Toni Jenkins, daughter of emeritus Illinois Wesleyan trustee Parker Kemp, on behalf of the Kemp family and Kemp Foundation.
In her address titled “Composing a Life,” Drici spoke of the challenges she has faced
as a woman studying and working in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)
fields.
“The path that took me from where I was to where I am now, that led me to be the teacher
I am, is not a straight path — it’s a zigzag,” said Drici.
Born in Algeria and raised in France, Drici recalls the high expectations for academic
and professional success set by her father from an early age. While she eventually
grew to appreciate his encouragement, it was a difficult challenge to face.
“Very early on, my father alerted me to my condition of being a woman in a man’s world.
He would say if you want a seat at the table, if you want to have a voice, if you
want to be a part of the discussion where decisions are made that will affect you,
you better be good. Being average wasn’t good enough. You had to be above,” she recalled.
These injustices became clear as she pursued a career in mathematics, where cultural
norms and the male-dominated field of STEM forced Drici to switch between majors frequently.
Ultimately, she earned two doctorate degrees and three master’s degrees in mathematics,
electrical engineering and solid state physics.
Math, she said, became a refuge due to its clear rules and logic. She likened each
challenging moment in life to mathematical discontinuities.
“Yes, we have discontinuities and redirections in life, but we learn how to improvise
and adapt,” she said.
The ability to improvise and explore different opportunities is a skill she teaches
in the classroom at Illinois Wesleyan. During her time as chair of the Mathematics
Department, Drici said many of her own life experiences have influenced her efforts
to support students.
“We couldn’t have wonderful curricula if students are not in a thriving environment
where they can learn — whether as a first-generation student, the only woman in a
class, or from a foreign country,” she said. To nurture this classroom culture, Drici
partnered with her colleagues to create a math immersion sequence which guides Titan
students through their four years in the math program at IWU. The sequence includes
peer-to-peer collaboration, professional networking and the chance to explore various
career paths.
At the conclusion of Drici’s presentation, President Sheahon Zenger commended the
professor for rising above her father’s lofty expectations.
As a member of the IWU faculty since 1995, Drici was Associate Dean of Curriculum from 2009-2013. She has served on numerous University committees, task forces and work groups. Her current research interests are in nonlinear analysis, with past research in microstrip patch antennas and electrodynamics. Her work has been published in mathematics journals and presented at conferences around the world.
Also at the ceremony, members of the IWU faculty who retired at the end of December or will be retiring this summer were recognized: Interim Provost and Dean of Faculty David Marvin, Professor of Chemistry Tim Rettich, Associate Professor of Nursing Brenda Lessen Knoll ‘89, Professor of Theatre Arts Curtis Trout, Professor of Environmental and International Studies Abby Jahiel; Norm Eash, who retired after 38 years from his faculty role and as football coach, but continues to work in Advancement; and Professor of Biology Mark Brodl, who has not retired from teaching but stepped down from his role as Provost from 2017-2024.